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While both camps are equaly charming and unique in their own ways, I would personally go for Shingwedzi purely because there is less traffic on the roads, (compared to Letaba) and because it still has a remote - old world feel to it. Having said that it will also depend on the other camps you have chosen to stay at i.e. before and after.

Either choice you make will leave you with a wonderfull experience and great memories.

Enjoy your trip

Two of my favourite favourite camps in the KNP!

My advise, if at all possible, do BOTH. The game viewing and bird watching experience in different in the two areas, but both very nice (I've spent many a visit in the north, either visiting Letaba and Punda or Letaba and Shingwedzi or all three !)

Shingwedzi

Better game viewing in my opinion! But right now especially, lions at Boyela waterhole almost every morning, and the mom cheetah with 4 cubs around Babalala is being seen regularly according to sightings updates

The S56 Mphongolo Loop is nearby Shing, and is one of the most scenic roads in Kruger!! A short little drive to Kannidood and back is bound to have you tick off many birds and animal species! South of Shing on the tar is a hyena highway, then a little go on the serengeti of Kruger ... the tropic of Capricorn loop! An animal highway, and best spot for rare antelope in Kruger

The camps themselves are very similar, although Letaba has a stunning view! I would say Shingwedzi every time

Shingwedzi wins hands down for me.

Hi, I have never visited Kruger National Park during Summer.
This year though we have decided to book a few days from 17 FEB onwards.
We will be staying in Pretoriuskop and would like to know whether we made a big mistake seeing it falls in the raining and mosquito season.
We were also told that P/kop area is not a very good game viewing area.
Give us hope someone. Regards, Ronniec

Ronnie, its a lovely time to visit, we have been going every Feb for many years now, its going to be hot, even very hot at times, could be a lot of rain, or just the occasional storm which does help to cool things down.
My advise would be, just go, take precautions against the mozzies, expect a wonderful experience and enjoy P/kop its a beautiful part of the park.
Come back and let us know how it went.
We might even meet up so fly your yellow ribbon.

Hi Phil,

My choice would be Shingwedzi, purely due to the rustic atmosphere at the camp and also the swimming pool that is very near the boundary fence.

Just a tip on car rental. In the US your cars are mostly automatic transmission, whilst in South Africa it is mostly 'stick shift' as you'd say. So please be sure to request an automatic if that is what you want.

Enjoy the rest of trip planning and hope you get all the accommodation you;re after. Lower Sabie seems pretty full for certain parts of the year already.

You are able to book accommodation up to 11 months in advance via the telephonic reservation system or 10 months if done via the internet.

Riaan

Thanks Elsa
Regards Ronnie.

Shingwedzi everytime!!!

Ronniec, we NEVER visit the park in summer, we always visit in July, but we decided to book for December 2012 and had the pleasure of staying in Pretoriuskop, it was hot but not unbearable, very pleasant, not very busy at all which really surprised us.
We had many, many great sightings, leopard in a tree alongside the road,other big animals which are under threat at the moment which I dare not mention their names, water buck, kudu, many different species of birds, we had such a wonderful trip that we have just booked our December 2013 trip.
I always thought that summer would be uncomfortable but we had a really good trip, we did not take anti-malaria pills all we did every night was to spray the hut that we stayed in with mozzie spray and we also sprayed some on ourselves and we also slept with the fan on, and no one was bitten by mozzies,enjoy your trip, you will be back next summer

Ronniec, I have a very soft spot for Pretorius Kop and enjoy the beauty the area offers. There are some potentially wonderful drives and it is not far from places like the Transport dam and the productive S65. The S1 can also deliver any time of the year.

Sightings close to Pretorius Kop.

Voortrekker road





close to Mestel dam



close to Shitlehave dam

Shingwedzi any day of the year - so much fond memories as a child with my parents, and now with my fiancée...

Letaba for me
Think it has to do with the sand in Shingwedzi
And not actually seeing the river
And love the river near Letaba
From the car and camp

A limited choice, and one that is easy to answer. When both available, I prefer both equally. Letaba has The view from the restaurant that is perhaps only exceeded in awe-gasping delight by Olifants'. Both camps have a lovely ambience, although the magnificent shade trees and birding opportunities leans a tick the way of Letaba. Shingwedzi has the marvellous Kannidood Dam, Red Rocks, and Mphongolo Loop roads, while Letaba has the Engelhardt Dam, Phalaborwa road, Olifants tar and riverine drives; both superb. Given a choice, I have no choice; whichever one I go to I am inspired. Sadly, Shingwedzi will be out of commission for a while; let's hope it will get back to its former glory.

So in the 7 years , make that 8 years that ive been trotting the kruger ive never actually camped at pretorius kop in my life, i remember we briefly stopped there for some toast and cheese or icecream and then went about our way.

I know about the swimming pool, but can anybody show me pics of the camping section of the camp?

ive seen some pics on google that its a forest type camp but i need more pics...

hows the wildlife in the camp ? i know there are some buck, some tarantale and vervet monkeys as ive got pics of them that i took couple of years back.

mission 2013 : wild dogs
We are on a mission to spot them this year as we have NEVER seen wild dogs in all the years we have gone.


what ive done is use an application to track how the animals are moving and on which dates so that we can try spot them on the routes and with a bit of technological luck finally get that photo we have been waiting for ! I know the dogs from top to bottom and their instincts and would have found them easily if i were a ranger but im only allowed to drive and stay within park rules like the rest of the kruger law abiding citizens !

as for tsendse i know the ranger but have never camped there before should be interesting !

14-15 july croc bridge
15-17 july letaba
17-18 july tsendse
18-19 july satara
19-23 july pret kop
23-24 july berg n dal